Protective device for moving-picture machines



Jan. 29, 1924. 1,482,200

N. POWER PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR MOVING PICTURE MACHINES Filed Feb. 25, 1915 Patented Jan.29,1924.

UNITED- STATE PgENr OFFICE.

NICHOLAS POWER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T NICHOLAS POWER COM- PANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

- Application filed February 25, 1913. Serial No. 750,530.

To all whom it may concern. Be it known that I, NrcHoLAs Powan, citizen of the United States, and resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Protective Devices for Moving- Picture Machines, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to movln picture lo projecting machines and has for its ob ect to provide a machine of that class in which the film is entirely enclosed when the machine is in use except for the necessary opening for the passage of light through the s' machine. A further object of the invention is to provide in a machine of this character, a safety device whereby the machine cannot be operated unless the enclosing casing is fastened in its closed position. further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the machine may not be operated unless the magazines which enclose the reel from which the film is delivered and the receivin' reel are closed and latched.

rther object of the invention is to provide in a machineof the eharacter described means whereb the projecting light is automatically cut 0 whenever the casing is opened for the inspection or the adjustment of the film.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description whenread in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 shows a side elevation partly in section of a motlon picture machine equipped with my improved protective devices; and Fig. 2 is a plan view also partly in section of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings 1 indicates' the usual stand or table for supporting the projecting apparatus. The reel of film cludes suitable feed devices and shutter u mechanism operated from a suitable handle the middle of the side wall so that the parts within are readily accessible.

The door 7 is provided with a knob 8 on the inner end of the shaft of which there is a disk 9 to which are attached two bolts 10 and 11 which are raised and lowered respectively on rotation of the knob to thrust the 'ends'of the bolts into suitable slots in the lower wall of the upper magazine and the upper wall of the lower magazine to fasten the door in its closed position. The

downwardly projecting bolt 11 is provided with a suitable cam face as clearly shown in Fig. 1 wh ch is adapted to engage the inclinedend of the bar"12 slidingly mounted on the inner face of the fixed portion of the side wall of the casin 6. I have shown portions of both the fixe andmovable parts of this side wall broken away to disclose the mechanism within, but it is to be understood that the pins which guide the bolts 10 and 11 and the pins which support the bar 12 are set in the inner face of the side wall. The end of the bar 12 engages the lower end of a pawl 13 pivotally mounted on the inner face of the wall of the casing and having a tooth adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet 14 mounted on one of the rotating shafts of the machine, which I have indicated as driven directly from the shaft of a crank handle 5 but which of course may be any other rotatin part of the machine if desired. The paw 13 is provided with a suitable spring for holding it in engagement with the ratchetv wheel and the inclined end of the bar 12 and cam face of the bolt 11 are so designed that when the knob 9 is turned to lock the bolts the bar 12 will be forced against the pawl 13 and disengage it from the ratchet wheel, but when the knob is turned to unlatch the bolts the cam face will move out of engagement with the bar 12 and permit the spring to throw the awl into engagement with the latch therey stopping the machine and locking it against further movement.

IOU

lin order to prevent the machine being operatedwithout'first closing the doors of the magazines 2 and 4 I provide a device shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing which shows the upper face of the bottom wall of the upper magazine, but it is to be ,understood that the top wall of the lower magazine is similarly constructed. For the reception of the ends of-the bolts the magazine walls are provided with suitable slots through which the bolts must be thrust an appreciable distance in order to move the bar 12 sufliciently to disengage the pawl 13. Overlying the slot is a plate 16 having a pin slot connection with the magazine wall whereby it may be thrust back against the tension of its spring 16 to uncover the slot in the wall and permit machine.

The light for effecting the projection of the picture is preferably supplied from an arc lamp enclosed in the usual lamp house 20 and provided with a switch 21 for opening and closing the electric circuit which suppliesthe lamp. The lamp house is preferably mounted for lateral movement on suitable slide ways 20 so that the operator can shift the light out of range of the projecting apparatus when he wishes to adjust the carbons or other parts of the lamp. Whenever the machine is not in operation particularly if the casing is open thereby exposing the film, the lamp should either be cut off or should be adjusted out of'range of the film to avoid possibility of fire. To prevent the operator sneglecting this precaution I provide means for opening the switch 21 whenever the knob 8 is turned to unlockthe casing. This means comprises a bar 23"mounted in a longitudinal slot on the tabletop 1 upon suitable pins to permit a limited reciprocating movement. The other end of the bar extends under the projecting apparatus 3 and 'lies along side of the lower end of the bolt 11 where it passes through thebase 1 to engage the wall of the magazineattached beneath. The face of the bar 23 adjacent the'bolt is provided with an inclined slot 24 adapted to be engaged by a pin in the bolt 11 to shift the bar rearwardly when the bolt is raised and in the opposite direction when the "bolt is lowered to lock the machine. The rear end of the bar 23 lies closelyv adjacent a swinging plate 22 attached to the bottom of the lamp house naaoo and adapted to engage with its lower edge the bars of the switch 21 to open the switch when the plate is swung downwardly bythe thrust of the bar 23. The plate 22 is normally held at a slight inclination so that when the bar 23 is withdrawn by the lockingof the bolt 11 the plate 22 will be free to swing out of the way of the switch when the same is closed, but whenever the bar is in engagement with the plate 22 it will be held against movement and consequently prevent the switch being. closed. A light spring 25 may if desired be provided to hold the bar 23 normally in its rearward posi tion so that the pin on the bolt will register with the slot 24. When the operator wishes to trim the lamp he can shift the lamp house along the ways 20 thereby moving the plate 22 out of engagement with the switch permitting the same to close.

The operation of my improved protective mechanism will be readily understood from the above without furtherdescription. As shown the casing 6 entirely closes the projecting mechanism; but it will of course be understood that the locking devices shown may be employed in connection with a shield of smaller extent if desired. It will also of course be understood that the switch operating mechanism mav be dispensed with without affecting the operation of the rest of the mechanism. The details of construction may also be modified-in various ways. It will be understood that my invention is in no wise limited to such details of construction except in so far as recited in the appended claims. v

i The word casing is used in the appended claims in its generic sense as meaning any enclosing or partly enclosing cover or shield for the machine or'parts thereof, whereas the term magazine is used specifically to indicate the enclosing boxes for the film.

Where the casing for the mechanism is meant as distinguished from the magazines, the expression casing for the mechanism is used. l

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is v4 1; In a moving picture machine the combination of a plurality of protedtive casings enclosing the operating mechanism and the film reels, said casings having movable portions for permitting access'to the interior thereof, means for preventing the operation of the machine when saidmovable portions are out of their protective position and means operatable when said movable portions are closed for rendering said machine operative.

2. In a moving picture machine the combination of a casing for the projecting mechanism capable of being opened and closed, a latch for said casing and means ment to render said last named means inmovable portions are closed for rendering said machine operative.

4. In a moving picture machine the combination of a protecting mechanism, a casing completely enclosing the same, a door forming part of the casing, means for normally locking the machine against operation and means for releasing said locking mechanism when said door is closed.

'6. In a moving picture machine, the combination with a projecting mechanism, a casing enclosing the same, a light for projecting the picture, and means located outside the casing and operating automatically as an incident to the opening of the casing to extinguish the said light.

7. In a moving picture machine, the com bination with a projecting mechanism, a

casing enclosing said mechanism and having a door for closing the casing, a light for projecting the picture, and means located outside the casing and operating automatically as an incident to the opening of the door to cut off said light ahd to prevent said lamp from being lighted except when said door is closed.

8. In a moving picture machine, the combination with a projecting mechanism having a'driving member, means for normally rendering said member inoperative, a casing enclosing said mechanism and having a door provided With a latch, means operated by the locking movement of the latch when the door is closed for rendering the driving mechanism operative.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 24th day of Feby., A. D. 1913.

NICHOLAS POWER. Witrgesses: E

DWARD mm, A. W. Guam. 

